Andy Murray made short work of Joao Sousa once again to race into the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The two-time grand slam champion had never lost a set against his Portuguese opponent in four previous meetings and needed just 57 minutes to post a 6-0 6-2 victory.

Murray, who reached the final on his last appearance in Dubai three years ago, never had to get out of third gear thanks to 38 unforced errors from Sousa.

The pair met last month in the third round of the Australian Open in what proved another straightforward outing for Murray.

Sousa’s poor record against the Scot seemed to be on his mind from the start, with his errors proving the crucial factor as Murray raced through the opening set in 21 minutes.

It was hard to tell how well the world number three was playing because his opponent was being so charitable, and a tally of two winners and 19 unforced errors from Sousa in six games told a sorry tale.

Murray sealed the first set with an ace and then broke serve again at the start of the second.

Sousa finally got on the board in the ninth game but his resistance was fleeting and another break for Murray made it 5-2 before he served out the victory with the minimum of fuss.

Andy will today face the young Croatian, Borna Coric in the quarter finals later today.

Andy Murray moved into the second round of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with a straight-sets win over Gilles Muller.

The third-seeded Andy served for the match twice before coming away with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Gilles Muller, coached by Murray’s friend and fellow Brit, Jamie Delgado. The Scot broke Muller’s famed serve three times to advance in one hour and 45 minutes.

“I think the end of both sets I didn’t serve so well,” said Murray, “But apart from that, I didn’t give him any opportunities really. I feel like I got a little bit unlucky at the end of the second set. He got a couple of net cords in that last game, the 5-4 game where I got broken, and did very well to respond straightaway and get the break right back. I thought I played a fairly high quality match.”

Murray next plays Portugal’s Joao Sousa, who he has beaten in straight sets in all four of their previous meetings, most recently at last month’s Australian Open.

Andy had an unusual culinary experience today, cooking up a storm ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The tournament third seed took the chance to be involved in the 2015 Dubai Food Festival which is currently taking place, and features an array of events and culinary attractions across the city.

Andy headed down to a lively food hotspot set on the golden sands of Kite Beach in Jumeirah, where he met world renowned Indian celebrity Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, who was ready to help him create a very special dish, which they dubbed the ‘Murray Curry’.

“I have been learning to cook a curry, which I have never tried doing before and was a nice and fun experience,” said the Brit. “Having spent a great deal of time here to train and holiday, you’re always guaranteed good weather. I love the fact that there are so many great restaurants here, great shopping and I find the people really friendly all the time. I love being here.”

After making it to the final in 2012, Murray is looking forward to the tournament. “It is an important event especially with the quality of the draw being really strong here, you need to be on your game. With Roger and Novak both having come here every year in the past 6-7 years, along with the long tournament history and quality of the winners, it is an important date on the calendar for sure. I feel good, I arrived a couple of days ago and have been practising indoors these last few days and getting my body clock ready. It has been a good start to the year so far.

“There are a lot of things that make this a great event. They look after the players extremely well. With the hotel now onsite it makes it super convenient to get around. Usually we have great weather and the crowds early on in the week, it makes it enjoyable to play here. It is really easy for the players to enjoy.”

Andy Murray will face Gilles Simon in the quarter-finals of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam after defeating Vasek Pospisil in straight sets on Thursday.

Murray, who lost out to Novak Djokovic in the final of the Australian Open earlier this month, came through 6-3, 7-5 and will meet eighth seed Simon in the last eight.

The match against the 24-year-old Canadian was not a walkover for Murray and he needed to fight back from a break of serve down in the second set to win, but the world number four showed his class and claimed victory in one hour and 43 minutes.

The first set progressed on serve until the eighth game where Murray found the crucial break, but Pospisil started well and pushed the Scot with a 30-shot rally to draw level at 2-2, showing his intent.

Murray, however, moved 4-3 up after the most comfortable service game of the match while Pospisil struggled to find consistency in the next with his own serve, which allowed Murray to claim a break out of nowhere.

It gave him the chance to serve for the first set which Murray took, winning 6-3 in 36 minutes.

Pospisil held serve at the start of the second but Murray had to hang on to his own service game after a battling effort from the Canadian, who slipped to the floor as his opponent took the match back to deuce then clung on to hold at 1-1.

Murray took control of the second set after breaking Pospisil with a great return down the line to move 3-2 up but was broken back immediately thanks to the Canadian’s best return of the match.

Pospisil clawed his way back in front on his own serve before pushing Murray close to a break, with the Scot losing his cool and breaking his racquet after slamming it into the court when his first serve went awry.

Pospisil claimed the vital break and Murray looked disgusted with himself as the world number 59 moved 5-3 up in the second, however the Scot broke back to put the set back on serve then levelled at 5-5.

With the whole court at his mercy and another chance to break Pospisil, Murray sent his cross-court forehand wide to take the 11th game of the set back to deuce, but he eventually came through to win the game and earn the chance to serve for the match.

The world number four faces Canada’s Vasek Pospisil in the second round of the event, which he won in 2009.

Murray converted four of nine break points and opened up a 5-0 lead in the second set before his opponent briefly rallied.

Mahut broke Murray for the only time in the match before the Brit closed out victory in one hour and 33 minutes.

]]>http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-sweeps-past-nicolas-mahut-in-rotterdam-first-round/feed/0Andy loses out to Novak in Australian Open Finalhttp://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-loses-out-to-novak-in-australian-open-final/
http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-loses-out-to-novak-in-australian-open-final/#commentsSun, 01 Feb 2015 14:15:45 +0000http://www.andymurray.com/?post_type=news&p=27181Andy has been defeated by Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final, losing in four sets 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 0-6.

The Scot, who will return to fourth in the world rankings on Monday, had chances in each of the first three sets of the final but ultimately could not cope with the Serb’s pinpoint returning and brilliant defence.

Djokovic, a week younger than his opponent, did look vulnerable at times, hurting his hand in a fall and appearing to struggle with an ankle problem early in the second set.

There were some concerned looks to coach Boris Becker in the stands. He stumbled on more than one occasion and required some energy-boosting fluids at a break down in the third set.

Murray later admitted he had been “distracted” by the Serb’s apparent physical issues and, just as at the US Open last September, he could not keep pace with Djokovic in the closing stages.

Djokovic had made a blistering start, racing into a 4-1 lead and going 20 minutes before he offered up a first unforced error.

It was to Murray’s credit that he twice hauled back breaks to force a tie-break, but a double-fault at 4-2 and a loose volley at 5-5 simply gave Djokovic too many chances.

The four-time champion clinched it when Murray netted a return, before suffering an awkward fall chasing a net cord early in the second that required treatment to his hand.

Murray moved into a 2-0 lead but saw the advantage wiped out when a rejuvenated Djokovic strung together 13 straight points.

Again, Murray fought back, a forehand into the corner making it 4-4, and three break points were saved at 5-5 on the way to a second tie-break.

This time the Scot would not relinquish an advantage, winning a gripping rally to lead 5-2 and converting his third set point.

When Djokovic netted a forehand to drop serve at the start of the third set, Murray appeared to have finally gained the initiative after two-and-a-half hours. However it proved to be his last moment to savour, however. Increasingly frustrated by a resurgent opponent, his second serve slipped and Djokovic went on to win 12 of the next 13 games to win the Australian Open for a 5th time.

“I would like to congratulate Novak – it is a fantastic record and thoroughly deserved,” said Murray. “It is probably my most consistent Grand Slam throughout my career but I just haven’t been able to win. I’m closer than I was a few months ago. I’ll try to come back next year and have a slightly different outcome in the final.”

]]>http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-loses-out-to-novak-in-australian-open-final/feed/0ANDY THROUGH TO THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN FINALhttp://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-through-to-the-australian-open-final/
http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-through-to-the-australian-open-final/#commentsThu, 29 Jan 2015 14:03:07 +0000http://www.andymurray.com/?post_type=news&p=26921

Andy came storming back after a tough first set to beat Tomas Berdych and reach his fourth Australian Open final.

The British number one lost a tense first set but recovered to win 6-7 (6-8) 6-0 6-3 7-5.

It will be the sixth seed’s eighth Grand Slam final and first working with Amelie Mauresmo. Andy will now play the winner of Friday’s semi-final between Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka.

“There was a little bit of extra tension – it was a big match, a lot was made about Dani Vallverdu, my former coach, working with Tomas. but we’ve been friends since we were 15 years old and I felt that the focus was unfair and unnecessary. This is sport – and there’s more to life than sport. It created a bit of extra tension but everyone calmed down after start of the match.”

The Brit’s hopes were under threat after losing the opening set, but he turned it around with a brilliant lob early in the second and took control with seven straight games.

The Czech, who beat Rafael Nadal for the first time since 2006 in the quarter-finals, then suffered an unexpected collapse as Murray’s game began to flow. A superb running lob, similar to the three he produced in his quarter-final win over Nick Kyrgios, helped Murray break for 2-0, and within half an hour he had taken the set to love.

Berdych, seeded seventh, got back on the scoreboard early in the third but it was Murray who was pressing, and the Czech’s game crumbled horribly in game six. From 40-0, Berdych double-faulted twice and missed a game point before the now rampant Murray stepped out wide and hammered a forehand down the line on break point. An ace sealed the set, and left Berdych having won just three games in 75 minutes of tennis.

The fourth set came to life in game six when a fired-up Murray saved a break point with a brilliant cross-court forehand, and another with a serve, receiving a time warning along the way before smacking the ball high in delight at holding on.

Both men were pushing hard for the break, but it was Berdych whose nerve failed him. Two errors and a double fault handed Murray break points at 5-5 and the Czech sent a third groundstroke flying long, allowing the Briton to serve it out with an ace moments later.

]]>http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-through-to-the-australian-open-final/feed/0Andy Through To A Fifth Australian Open Semi Finalhttp://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-through-to-a-fifth-australian-open-semi-final/
http://www.andymurray.com/news/andy-through-to-a-fifth-australian-open-semi-final/#commentsTue, 27 Jan 2015 11:05:05 +0000http://www.andymurray.com/?post_type=news&p=26651

Andy stormed into the semi-finals of the Australian Open after a dominant straight sets 6-3 7-6 6-3 defeat of local favourite Nick Krygios in Melbourne.

Despite overwhelming support for the 19-year-old Australian, Murray took early control of the match and claimed the first set with a single break before a pair of perfectly placed lobs during the second set tiebreak gave him a commanding lead at the Rod Laver Arena.

Krygios broke serve in the third set but looked drained following his five set victory over Andreas Seppi in the previous round before Andy broke immediately back and served out the match. The British No 1, who has dropped just one set in five matches, will play Rafael Nadal’s conqueror Tomas Berdych in the semi-finals.

Speaking after the match Andy said “It was a tricky match pretty windy, tough for both of us. I had to start as quickly as possible, I knew what he is capable of and didn’t underestimate him. Nick is a huge hitter so I tried to keep the ball out of his reach. I played a slightly different style tonight – and thankfully it worked. Understandably Nick got great support from this crowd and to play in front of packed court, with some wonderful players watching on, is wonderful. It’s a privilege. Hopefully I can keep it going in next round.”

Andy Murray won a gruelling late-night contest with Grigor Dimitrov to reach his sixth consecutive Australian Open quarter-final.

The British number one came through 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5 in three hours and 32 minutes.

A fifth set had looked likely but Murray won the last five games in row, sealing victory with a forehand that clipped the net and dropped over.

He goes through to face Australia’s Nick Kyrgios in the last eight.

Murray will be playing in his 16th consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final, having lost to Dimitrov at the same stage at Wimbledon last year.

Kyrgios made his first and only major quarter-final to date at the same tournament after a stunning win over Rafael Nadal.

The 19-year-old won a five-set thriller against Andreas Seppi on Sunday that dominated Melbourne Park to such an extent that the cheering from Hisense Arena could be heard on Rod Laver Arena.

When the result was clear and the home favourite had won, Murray and Dimitrov were forced to wait until the excitement subsided.

By that point Murray had already taken the first set from 3-0 down, seizing control after a blistering opening from the Bulgarian 10th seed.

The Scot, 27, was returning superbly and creating chance after chance on the Dimitrov serve, twice going a break clear in the second set only to hand the advantage back.

An increasingly tentative Murray failed to serve out the set at 6-5, double-faulting on break point, and was on the back foot in the ensuing tie-break.

Dimitrov, 23, surged forward, moving 4-2 in front with a stunning backhand pass that had the crowd on their feet, and converting his third set point.

With the match back in the balance, it was Murray who took control in the third only for his frustration to grow as break points passed him by.

Umpire Jake Garner felt the full force of Murray’s temper when the official failed to spot what appeared to be a double bounce, but Murray regained his composure to break for a 5-3 lead.

The set soon followed only for Dimitrov to respond once again, breaking early in the fourth with a fizzing backhand pass that crumpled Murray’s attempt at a volley.

At 5-2 down, even Murray must have been thinking about a decider, but he saved a set point with a heavy forehand and watched as Dimitrov handed over his advantage.

Three forehand errors gave up the break at 5-3, and a disastrous 11th game saw the Bulgarian drop serve to love before violently breaking his racquet in two after Murray swatted away a return winner.

A match of such fluctuating fortunes hinted at another swing when Murray was pegged back to 30-30 while serving for the match, but the sixth seed saw out the next two points to keep his title hopes on track.

“I thought I played well,” said Murray. “I thought Grigor started the match extremely well. He came out very aggressive, very explosive.

“But it’s tough to keep that sort of level of intensity up. And then once I got myself into the match, I felt like I was able to dictate a lot of the points. I thought tactically I played a good match.”

Andy saw off Portugal’s Joao Sousa in straight sets to earn a last-16 clash with Grigor Dimitrov at the Australian Open.

The British number one, seeded sixth, hit 39 winners on his way to a 6-1 6-1 7-5 victory at Melbourne Park. His prize is a chance to amend for last summer’s Wimbledon quarter-final defeat by Dimitrov when they meet on Sunday.

The Bulgarian 10th seed needed five sets to get past Marcos Baghdatis earlier on Friday. Andy, should not lack confidence after a third consecutive straight-sets win, despite allowing Sousa back into the third set from a break down.

The Brit urged himself to “Focus! Focus!” and the air of frustration grew when two match points slipped by. However, he converted the third two games later to win in two hours and six minutes.

“I was up two sets and 4-1 and Joao came back into it, he competed very well. He always does. I think today was my longest match but I feel pretty good, normally towards the latter stages of this event, you tend to play more matches in the evenings, but so far I played three matches pretty much in the heat of the day. Thankfully they’ve not been too long and it hasn’t taken too much out of me.”